The present invention relates to a new and distinct plant of Russian sage, botanically known as Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Rocketman’ and will be referred to hereinafter also by its cultivar name ‘Rocketman’ and the new plant. The new plant cultivar of Perovskia is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.
Perovskia ‘Rocketman’ is from the selection of seed from Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’ collected by the inventor Kevin A. Hurd in the summer of 2008 at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. All subsequent evaluations were performed in a full-sun trial garden at the same nursery with loamy sand soil and irrigation and fertilizer as required. The plant was of a single seedling initially selected for further evaluation during the summer of 2008 and given the breeder designation “08-01-02.” The plant was propagated by stem cuttings at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. and the original plant and the cuttings evaluated over the next four years until final approval for introduction in the summer of 2013. The resultant asexually propagated cuttings have been stable and identical to the original plant in successive asexual propagations.
Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘Rocketman’ has not been advertised or sold more than one year prior to filing this application, and all disclosures have come either directly or indirectly from the inventor.